In this action-packed adventure from a New York Times bestselling author, two teenagers from opposite worlds must fight their way through a vast walled quarantine zone in a dystopian America toward their only chance for survival.
We chat with Amy Tintera about her latest release, The Q, along with writing, book recommendations, and more!
Hi, Amy! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I’m Amy Tintera, author of The Q and three other YA series – Reboot, Ruined, and All These Monsters. I write high-action YA novels with a healthy dose of romance, and I live in Los Angeles with my excited dog, Luna.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I was really young! I was a big reader as a kid, and when I was about nine years old, I read this book where a guy fell down the stairs and died at the end. I was so mad, and I decided that I was going to write my own book, and never kill any characters. I’ve been writing ever since! (I have killed a lot of characters – but never from falling down the stairs! My grudge remains intact.)
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
The early book that sticks out the most for me is Matilda by Roald Dahl. I read that book over and over as a kid. I thought that a little girl with powers was the coolest thing ever.
I always wanted to be an author, but the book that made me want to be an author as an adult was Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. I was part of that generation of writers who rediscovered our love of reading through that book. It helped me realize what an exciting, vibrant category YA is.
The book I can’t stop thinking about is honestly any book by Emily Henry, but especially Booklovers. I don’t know how she manages to write characters that are so remarkably realistic.
Your latest novel, The Q, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
A ticking clock romantic adventure.
What can readers expect?
Two lovable teens from opposite worlds who must come together to fight their way across a walled city, but still find time to tell jokes and fall in love (priorities).
Where did the inspiration for The Q come from?
Thor:Ragnarok is one of my favorite movies, so I was partially inspired by the idea of a man suddenly being dropped into a totally wild situation. In The Q, Lennon is literally dropped from a plane into the quarantine zone after living a life of privilege on the other side of the wall, and he meets Maisie, who spent her whole life in the zone. I liked the idea of telling a story in this very contained space, with two wildly different characters who find a common ground.
Can you tell us a bit about the challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
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My main challenge with this book is that I started writing it in late 2019, and then in early 2020 we started living through a real life pandemic. I wasn’t sure anyone would want to read a book set in a post-pandemic world. Luckily my agent at the time really loved the idea, and no one is actually dying of a virus in The Q (it’s set years later, after the virus has evolved to be less deadly). So it turned out that my book wasn’t too similar to our reality!
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Honestly, the last chapter of the book, from Lennon’s perspective, is my favorite. I knew the ending of this book pretty much as soon as I got the idea, and it never changed. It’s a big, happy, hopeful ending, and I love it.
What’s next for you?
My next book is my first novel for adults, Listen for the Lie, out in early 2024!
Lastly, what have been some of your favourite 2022 reads? Any 2023 releases our readers should look out for?
Booklovers by Emily Henry, as I mentioned. I also loved Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake and Tru Biz by Sara Novik.
In 2023, I’m really looking forward to Amie Kaufman’s first solo YA novel, The Isle of the Gods.
